The Detroit Pistons are coming off of a storybook campaign that featured a historic one-season turnaround and their first playoff victory in nearly two decades. Yes, they lost in the first round to the New York Knicks. But it is also true that they are young, ascending, talented, and dangerous.
It is also true that they have enough young and talented players, that they are about to get awfully expensive. Cade Cunningham, rightfully, has already gotten paid as the superstar leader of this team who is bound to get better over the next few seasons.
After that, the books are quite clean. But Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are entering the final season of their contracts prior to restricted free agency, and Ausar Thompson isn’t far behind.
Of the myriad questions this team faces as it looks to continue building toward an NBA title contender are: who fits long term with Cade? Is anyone going to be a true second star? Do you push your chips in and make a consolidation trade? If so, when?
That last question has been answered in a thought exercise from Michael Pina of The Ringer. Yes, you push your chips in, and you do it now. And you do it for Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.
The 28-year-old sharpshooter is coming off his worst season since he resurrected his career in Cleveland — notably under the guidance of current Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff.
But the Jazz are not trying to win, and certainly not trying to maximize the effectiveness of their star. Heck, they barely let him play last season.
That wouldn’t be the case in Detroit. But he obviously wouldn’t come cheaply.
Pina’s pitch includes:
- Jaden Ivey
- Tobias Harris (expiring)
- Bobi Klintman
- Two 1st-round picks
From the Pistons’ perspective, Pina makes his case:
Pina goes on to compare this prospective Pistons deal with the trade the Indiana Pacers swung a few years ago for Pascal Siakam. At the time, his skill was never really in question — but his age, cost, and the ceiling of a very young Pacers team definitely was.
After an improbable run to the NBA Finals, it feels like Indiana has definitely won the argument.
That deal had a similar cost — three first-round picks and some bodies, which included former Piston Bruce Brown. Two of those draft picks were Isaiah Collier and Ja’Kobe Walter. The third will be Indiana’s own in 2026.
Jaden Ivey was playing great before his injury. He could be that second star next to Cade Cunningham. But maybe he isn’t. Or maybe the skills aren’t complementary enough. Or maybe that mix of Ivey’s speed and Cunningham’s savvy is exactly what Detroit needs.
The loss of Tobias Harris would be no small thing, either. He played a crucial veteran role for the Pistons in their first legitimate run to the playoffs in forever, and he was always there when you needed him.
Markkanen is more talented, yes, but he is also less reliable. Where would the Pistons turn if and when Lauri starts missing games?
It is a tough question to answer, but it is also the most important question facing the Pistons now and into the future. How do you go from the fun underdog everyone was rooting for into a true title contender.
It feels like teams get one shot at this team-building thing, and if they blow that first big move, it is hard to recover from. Would you make this trade? Trade for a different star? Or just run it back?
The Detroit Pistons are heading into the 2025–26 NBA season with momentum and expectation. They were the first team in history to triple their win total from one season to the next. They had internal expectations and a desire to win after years of struggle, but nobody expected what hit them last season.
They know they can’t surprise teams as they enter a new season with the coaching staff and core largely intact. If they can no longer fly under the radar following a playoff berth and hard-fought first-round series against the New York Knicks, that is fine with them. They will just be loud, be explosive, and cause chaos.
The challenge for these Pistons won’t be confidence or belief in their plan; it will be remaining committed to it even when the inevitable struggles come. Everyone talked at Detroit Pistons media day about wanting to be great. Now, they feel like they have the ingredients and are taking the steps to make that happen.
In Attack Mode
From the front office down to the players, the message is clear — last year’s playoff run was a foundation, not the destination. President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon praised the group’s approach to the offseason. “Our guys attacked the summer,” Langdon said. “They did things that would make themselves better and make us better coming into this season.”
Perhaps that was best personified by Duncan Robinson, one of the newest members of the Detroit Pistons. Robinson spent his first seven years in Miami, and his skill, work ethic, and the player development and vaunted Heat Culture down in Miami allowed Robinson to go from fringe player to one of the best shooting wings in the league.
When he reflected on what had surprised him most, leaving the only organization he had ever known for an unfamiliar one in Detroit, Robinson credited the hunger of this young and growing team.
“One of his biggest surprises was how many people on this team really wanted to be great,” Robinson said.
Other keywords that were heard over and over again from players, coach JB Bickerstaff and president Trajan Langon included aggression, explosiveness, and the will to be great.
Whether it was what a “nightmare” Thompson will be in the open floor with the ball in his hands (per Bickerstaff) or the “chaos” Ron Holland is looking forward to causing with Thompson in the second unit.
Speaking of Thompson, (there was a lot of praise of Thompson), Bickerstaff is excited to see a fully healthy Ausar and a fully healthy Jaden Ivey supercharge some units on the floor with their speed. “If you have them on the floor on your wings, that’s probablythe fastest set of wings you’re going to see as a combination in the league.”
It all starts with Cade Cunningham, of course, who looked calm, confident, relaxed, and stronger than he did since last media day.
Last year, he was steely-eyed and serious as he was looking forward to righting a wayward ship that had been perpetually capsized since he was drafted. Now, Cade said words were much less important. It was time for actions to speak for themselves.
It’s never been in doubt that this is Cade’s team, so perhaps it is fitting that the energy of the offseason and at media day was true Cade. It is as if this team is in no rush to be great because they know with the guys they have in place and with the plans they have in place, greatness is coming for them. They just have to put in the work. Like Cade, you can’t speed them up. They will play at their own pace and exert their will on teams. Whether that is a patient dribble drive or a blur of wings running the floor in transition.
Health and Continuity
Much of the optimism centers on health. Guard Jaden Ivey, who suffered a season-ending injury in January, is back at full strength. His ability to push pace and break down defenses adds a critical dimension alongside Cade Cunningham. Ivey admitted the road back was grueling but necessary. “It’s been a grind, but I’m thankful to be back,” he said. “Making the right plays, not just home run plays, is what will help this team win.
Cunningham, now firmly established as the leader of the franchise, enters the season with an enhanced role both on and off the floor. He acknowledged that the playoff experience provided valuable lessons. “You don’t really know what it takes until you go through it,” Cunningham said. “That series taught me about the physicality, the details, and how locked in you have to be every possession.”
For the first time in years, Detroit also benefits from continuity. JB Bickerstaff returns with his staff intact, allowing for greater continuity, chemistry, and maturation of the offense and defensive systems. “We can’t rest on our laurels and think we’ve accomplished something,” Bickerstaff said. “Our guys have high expectations for themselves, and it’s our job to push them forward.”
Leaning on Veterans
While the Pistons lean heavily on their young talent, the return of Tobias Harris and the additions of Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert provide balance. All three bring postseason experience, maturity, and size, qualities Detroit hopes will stabilize them during the inevitable rough stretches of a long season and allow them to explore diverse lineup combinations.
Bickerstaff was speaking excitedly like a young student with a chemistry set as he rattled off all the potential lineup combinations he could offer up. LeVert is a great secondary ball handler on the wing, Robinson added a lot to his dribble drive game to make his shooting that much more dangerous, and full seasons from Ivey and Thompson add speed, playmaking, and creation to the mix.
“We could play five guys that are about 6-foot-8 if we wanted to and be extremely fast — able to switch a lot of things, trap more, pick up full court. We can also play with our two bigs and then throw a 6-8 and a 6-8 and a 6-8 out there. There are just so many things we can do with that flexibility and versatility,” Bickerstaff said.
Robinson and LeVert will also be counted on as reliable shooters with the departures of Tim Hardaway Jr and Malik Beasley, while also being the reliable veterans a young roster often needs to lean on.
Harris, now one of the team’s most senior voices, emphasized urgency. “You don’t get many of these moments,” he said. “This is a very promising team, and we can’t take it for granted. We have to seize it right now.”
Going from Hunter to Hunted
The biggest adjustment may be psychological. A year ago, the Pistons were underestimated. Now, they are circled on opponents’ schedules. Langdon acknowledged the dynamic has changed.
“We’re not going to surprise anybody anymore,” he said. “But this group is still hungry. They know it’s not going to be easy, and they know they need to do it together.”
That awareness extends to the locker room. The Pistons understand that young teams often struggle to replicate breakout seasons. To avoid stagnation, they’ve committed to a process-driven approach: steady growth throughout the season, peaking when it matters most.
This season marks a pivotal chapter for the Pistons. With a healthy roster, a clear identity, and a maturing leader in Cunningham, the franchise has the pieces to transform last year’s breakthrough into long-term relevance.
As Bickerstaff put it, the responsibility is shared. “We’re not a finished product,” he said. “But if we keep giving our guys what they need and they keep giving what they’ve given this summer, there’s no limit to what we can become.”
It’s mailbag time!
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons free agency. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.
Join us live on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET for the show where we’ll discuss the upcoming season and media day takeaways. Did any comments change your thoughts for the new year? Are there any last-minute transactions we might see? What should we look for in preseason?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:
When: Friday October 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel
How to submit questions:
- Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
- Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
- Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @blakesilverman or @therealwesd3
- YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here
As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.
Welcome to the official NBA year! Blake and Wes break down the most exciting elements of Pistons media day, from Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland channeling their inner Dolly Parton-s, to Jaden Ivey’s health and Isaiah Stewart’s three-point shooting, the guys open the show with it all. They then explore how the team may counter Ausar being guarded by opposing bigs, the potential impact of Jalen Duren adding a floater to his offensive game and, most importantly, which player is going to drop 50-points this season! Finally, the guys end the show with a message of calm for all worried fans — the floor spacing will not be as bad as it was two years ago. Rest easy and dream of Pistons basketball, but maybe forget the walk down memory lane Wes and Blake take, exploring the “shooters” that unfortunate Pistons team had on the roster in 2023-2024.
We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!
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Follow Blake Silverman on Twitter @BlakeSilverman
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The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast is your home for fan-driven Pistons content. Hosted by Wes Davenport, from Motor City Hoops and producer of the Pistons Pulse Podcast, and Blake Silverman, DBB’s resident draft expert covering both the Pistons and the Motor City Cruise. The guys bring a reasoned analysis to a uniquely interactive show. And if you want to hear your voice on the podcast, call (313) 355-2717 and leave your question as a voicemail. The guys will play your message and answer your question on that week’s episode! All we ask is that you keep your questions to under 45 seconds.
The Detroit Pistons got the 2025-26 season started on the right foot, winning their first preseason game 128-112 against the Memphis Grizzlies. It started out ugly for the Pistons, plagued by turnovers and a Grizzlies team that could not miss.
Eventually, though, the Grizz’s shots stopped falling, the Pistons defense got friskier, and nobody had any answers for Cade Cunningham. Detroit was able to turn a 21-point deficit into a 10-point halftime lead courtesy of a 50-point second quarter. The game had all the marks of preseason basketball — plenty of turnovers, odd lineup combinations, and important players who sat during the second half. Instead of a traditional recap, I decided to highlight five observations from watching the new-look Pistons for the first time.
1. Cade Cunningham is that dude
Cunningham had 20 points in the first half, and he was doing damage from all over the floor. He kicked off his scoring this season with a patented, patient mid-range jumper. He added a couple threes, a sick up and under on an awkward pass from Tobias Harris, and a few nice slams. He took everything the defense gave him, and some more besides. It was great to see Cunningham impose his will on an opponent, and he set a tone once the Pistons were able to lock in. He also only got to the line three times. It wouldn’t be a Cunningham game if he wasn’t robbed from the charity stripe.
2. The Ron Holland leap looks legit
Holland made a huge leap during Summer League after a promising but decidedly up-and-down rookie campaign. Being great in Summer League is great, but it’s still just Summer League. Today, he carried over a lot of those skills into the first preseason game. He scored just 9 points on 3-of-6 shooting, but you really felt his presence on the floor. He was able to fuel the first big Detroit run that was able to get the Pistons back in the game, courtesy of hard-nosed defense alongside Ausar Thompson. His 3-ball looked smooth, and he looked more confident on the floor.
3. Don’t expect the old Jaden Ivey back right away
Jaden Ivey was playing his first competitive 5-on-5 game in 10 months, and boy did it look like it. He was struggling to keep up on defense, committed some sloppy fouls, dribbled into trouble because he didn’t quite keep pace with his own speed, and he got shots up simply because he wanted to see one go down. Eventually he got a 3-ball to fall off of a great defensive steal from Duncan Robinson, and he delivered a patented end-to-end score to end the first half by running the floor in about four seconds. I know everyone wants to think of the return of a healthy Ivey as Detroit’s big offseason acquisition, and that might be true, but I don’t think it’s going to be true anytime soon. He needs to get back to what game speed really means and figure out how to reintegrate himself into a functional Pistons offense. We’ll see that this season, I have no doubt, but you might not see it until late November.
4. Stock up: Duncan Robinson. Stock down: Caris LeVert
The absence of Malik Beasley is certain to loom large this season, and Duncan Robinson certainly has huge shoes to feel as the Pistons’ go-to three-point threat. Robinson acquitted himself well in preseason game one. He only hit two of his six threes, but his presence stretched the floor, and he was able to take solid attempts off of screens and off the dribble. He was also able to showcase his ability to drive and kick when he’s chased off the three-point line. Most importantly, though, he seems 100% committed to absolutely chewing out the refs when Cade Cunningham doesn’t get the whistle he deserves. I fully endorse.
Caris LeVert, meanwhile, was largely invisible in his 17 minutes. He shot terribly and didn’t seem like he was able to shoulder the ball-handling load in any significant way. Hopefully, he can figure out how to better integrate himself in Detroit’s remaining preseason games.
5. I believe in Dannis Jenkins
The Detroit Pistons don’t have a sterling track record with two-way players. That is to say, perhaps, that their success rate matches that of pretty much every other franchise — the likelihood of any two-way player having a long NBA career is low. Saben Lee is still getting some occasional run from the Suns these days, but that’s the closest thing you can point to as a success story. Tosan Evbuomwan got some major playing time with a horribly depleted Nets roster, and we’ll see if that carries over for another season. Despite all that, I can’t help but believe that Dannis Jenkins is going to figure it out. He has grown by leaps and bounds from when he first joined the Pistons, and if he stays on this developmental path, I think he’s actually going to stick in the NBA, either in Detroit or elsewhere. He has great command of the game, plays solid defense, and has greatly improved his shot. He’s an easy guy to root for, and for whatever reason, I really trust him with the ball in his hands. He looked really solid in what was admittedly the garbage time portion of the game, but I’m glad he’s back in Detroit for another go-round, and I hope he keeps developing and earns a true roster spot by this time next season.
The Detroit Pistons are doubling down on youth, development, and a culture that they believe can take them not just back to the playoffs, but into the second round and even further. The team has ridden good vibes and enthusiasm through the offseason, but now they are officially getting their first test as preseason begins tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies didn’t really have a chance to live very long in the offseason optimism phase before reality smacked them right in the face. It was announced earlier Monday that star point guard Ja Morant is going to miss time with a left ankle sprain.
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He is being called week-to-week, so he might heal up by the time the games count for real, but it does mean an offseason without Morant, star big man Jaren Jackson Jr., or beefy center Zach Edey. There will be plenty of reserves on display tonight for Memphis, including former Pistons Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, whom I 100% forgot was traded to Memphis from Orlando this offseason until the moment I started putting this preview together.
We will also see promising forward Vince Williams and one-time apple to Detroit Pistons fans’ offseason eyes in Santi Aldama, who looked like a free agency target for a few seconds this offseason.
The Pistons are almost completely healthy heading into tonight. The No. 1 objective of tonight is to stay that way. The second through sixth objectives are to build on everything that worked last season and put young players in positions to show how their skills have grown.
Game Vitals
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (0-0)
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Memphis Grizzlies (0-0)
Ty Jerome, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jaylen Wells, Vince Williams, Santi Aldama
The Detroit Pistons suffered their first preseason lost, a 117-111 defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pistons led by 10 points at halftime, but played mostly bench players in the third and all bench players in the fourth. That is in addition to being down several players who sat out the game for mostly precautionary reasons.
The Pistons were without starters Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren, and Jaden Ivey, and also sat new free agent acquisition Caris LeVert.
That lack of firepower didn’t slow down Cade Cunningham, who led all scorers with 26 points. He did it in just 18 minutes of action.
The Bucks were led by AJ Green with 22 points. Since the outcome doesn’t really matter, and the Pistons were barely playing competitive basketball in the second half, I thought I would again list five quick observations about the game.
1. Cade Cunningham is that dude again
Cunningham was again clearly the best player on the floor on Thursday night (note: Giannis didn’t play). His three-ball looked good, he was able to get to the rim, and he had his mid-range and step-backs working wonders against Milwaukee defenders. He scored 26 points and added six assists, six rebounds and two steals. He also got to the line eight times. Not bad for 18 minutes of work. Cade has historically started a bit slow, and to see him so poised, locked in, and playing at such a high level has me excited for the season to begin.
2. The Pistons really want Ausar to handle the ball
Ausar Thompson had a mostly unspectatular night by his standards, but that doesn’t mean his game didn’t stand out. He scored 11 points in 20 minutes, and played solid defense, but didn’t have any highlight-reel plays. No, what made him stand out was his offensive responsibility. He brought the ball up the floor nearly every possession that saw Thompson on the floor. With Cade or without.
However, Thompson didn’t really do much with the ball. He tallied a meager one assist and was just 3-of-7 from the floor and missed five of his 10 free throws.
It felt like the game plan going in was to put the ball in Ausar’s hands and let him experience and navigate the most pressure he’s probably ever faced. It felt the team was more interested in seeing Thompson navigate close defenses starting in the backcourt and driving into the teeth of the defense and getting his shot off. He did all that in space, but there was no signal he was even close to being a true facilitator, navigating the terrain and options and putting his teammates in good spots to succed. This was more about throwing the kitchen sink at Ausar and seeing if he could survive.
3. Chazz Lanier’s shot looks for real
Chazz Lanier didn’t experience the best results against the Bucks, shooting just 2-of-7 from deep. But it wasn’t for lack of finding open spots on the floor and getting good shots off at the perimeter. No, the shots didn’t go down tonight, but they were constantly quality looks, and Lanier’s shooting form looks like it will translate to the NBA.
4. Bobi Klintman’s bulked up
The second-round draft pick of the Detroit Pistons a few years ago was stuck in the classic tweener zone. Frontcourt height but with a slight backcourt frame. Klintman had always flashed a little ability and more than enough smarts to succeed on the basketball court. However, he never had the strength. He was a too-slow small forward at best. Now, he has grown more into his body and added enough strength that he can clearly command some minutes as a power forward.
That’s good, too, because it is probably still Detroit’s weakest position. If Dannis Jenkins was the biggest unsung hero of Game 1, then clearly Lanier was the hero of game 2. He scored nine quick points in the first half with a quick, smooth perimeter stroke and the wherewithal and the strength and speed to crash the boards and put back a miss. I don’t think Klintman will get regular rotation minutes, but if the Pistons suffered some attrition through injury, it’s nice to have a player like Klintman.
5. The Pistons are going to have a really good defense
It’s preseason, so of course, we can put the competition factor to the side for one minute and simply react to what we are seeing from Detroit’s defense. I, for one, am thrilled by what I’m seeing. It’s not so much their ability to stymie the Bucks tonight. It was more about the switching and communication I am seeing whenever the Bucks have the ball. After a rough start, the Pistons also had a really solid defensive showing for the past six or seven quarters.
The Pistons communicate effectively, can navigate a switch or a screen with ease, rally to loose balls and rebounds, and are in perfect harmony as bodies are flying everywhere. That should be no surprise for a JB Bickerstaff-coached team. It’s been a long time since the Pistons had a truly great defense, and maybe they can finally make it happen this season.
Preseason is a unique animal. In getting myself acquainted with the Milwaukee Bucks in preparation for their matchup against the Detroit Pistons, I took a peek at their box score from their preseason-opening win against the Miami Heat on Monday.
Somehow, 20 different members of the Bucks played in the game, including 15 for more than 10 minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo was not one of them. But big offseason acquisition Myles Turner was! As was Cole Anthony, who I forgot was in Milwaukee now, and Gary Harris, who I forgot was still playing in the NBA. He is forever a Magic in my mind.
That is just the glory of preseason basketball.
Game Vitals
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
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Analysis
It feels a little pointless to think a little too deeply about a Bucks team that might go 20 deep again, but the Detroit Pistons gave us plenty of food for thought in their first game of the season. As expected, you definitely saw a lot of things they emphasized in the offseason and want to test drive in the preseason, when the games don’t matter.
Chief among trial balloons is using Ausar as a primary playmaker in bench lineups. He had the ball in his hands a lot whenever Cade Cunningham wasn’t on the floor. The results were decidedly mixed, but it’s encouraging that they are serious are dedicting time and development toward skills that would allow Thompson to blossom into a superstar sidekick alongside Cade. And it ain’t gonna be high-volume three-point shooting. Let’s just dispel that notion right now. Instead, it will be finding out ways to mitigate his lack of stretch by maximizing his ability to drive and make quick decisions in getting teammates involved. His teammates, like newly aquired Duncan Robinson, will be the ones asked to be lethal from the perimeter.
Other items on the test track were allowing Jaden Ivey plenty of latitude to pick his spots, get himself back into game shape, and, more importantly, game speed. Not that he isn’t fast. More so, he needs to reacquaint himself with how to operate on the floor with nine other high-level athletes.
What we saw from Cade in game 1 was a masterclass in efficient decision-making and setting the tempo. He was excellent, and he still isn’t a finished product. It was exciting to see, and I hope to see more of it.
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (1-0)
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart
Milwaukee Bucks (1-0)
Kevin Porter, Gary Trent, AJ Green, Bobby Portis, Miles Turner
Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.
We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.
Firing on All Cylinders
I think the thing that has me most excited about this season is the ceiling of Ausar Thompson now that he officially has his first NBA offseason under his belt. We heard multiple players and staff jump on the Ausar Hype Train at Media Day, and last night was another game where we saw his Swiss Army Knife versatility.
These first two clips show Ausar playing good, clean defense. He’s capable of switching onto a point guard, sticks with Cole Anthony as he rejects the screen, and Ausar forces him into a tough layup attempt. He’s also willing to bump with power forwards in the post, and he gives Bobby Portis a great contest as he stands straight with his hands up.
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Those two possessions won’t show up in the box score, but he’s certainly able to stuff the stat sheet as a defensive playmaker.
In the next clip, Ausar calls out the switch for Chaz Lanier, but as Ryan Rollins is dribbling to the corner, Ausar attacks Rollins’ blindside for a quick double-team that results in a steal. Saving the ball from going out-of-bounds was impressive, too.
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It’s kind of scary how athletic Ausar is, and his help defense here was incredible. He notices the bigger Portis trying to post-up Duncan Robinson under the basket, but Ausar comes in from the weak-side to block the ball off the backboard to deny the close shot attempt.
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Lastly, this is the possession that got me the most excited watching the game last night. We’ve seen how versatile Ausar is defensively already in his short career, and we know he has the most room to grow on the offensive side of the ball. Yet, if he’s going to get possessions like this with a spaced floor and a lane to drive, I have no doubts he’ll make huge strides as an on-ball playmaker this season. (Also – Stew’s shooting threes!)
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Transmission Trouble
We’ve certainly seen an offensively aggressive Ausar Thompson so far this preseason. In fact, he led Detroit in free throw attempts at 10, beating out future MVP Cade Cunningham’s 8-for-8 from the line.
Ausar, however, did not beat the number of Cade’s made free throws. The Pistons missed 10 total free throws last night, and Ausar had half of those misses. If we throw in the other Vinson Brother, Ron Holland, they missed a combined seven attempts out of twelve.
In a game that the Pistons lost by six, Ausar and Ron left seven free points at the line.
Mechanic’s Note
So, uh, when does Cade get mentioned as an MVP candidate? Is it too early to start that now?
He’s played 38 minutes of preseason basketball and has produced the following total stats:
- 46 points
- 9 rebounds
- 10 assists
- 4 steals
- +23
- 16-for-25 from the field (64%)
- 4-for-8 from three (50%)
To add onto the Cade MVP hype, three of his four made threes have been off-the-dribble.
From last night, a deep pull-up three after AJ Green goes under the Stew screen.
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Another pull-up from last night, Cade realizes he has a big on him as a defender, and Bobby Portis gave Cunningham way too much space.
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Lastly, from the Memphis game, Cade was even pulling out his step-back game as he drilled this left corner three.
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If Cade’s off-the-dribble three-point shooting attempts increase, it’ll open up more spaces on his attempts to the rim – however, if he’s consistently making those increased attempts, he’ll be a top-five player in the league.
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons free agency. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.
Join us live on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET for the show where we’ll discuss the Pistons first preseason games. What are you taking away from the exhibition matchups? Has preseason play brought any unexpected concerns or pleasant surprises ahead of the new season? Will we see any last-minute transactions before the regular season?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:
When: Sunday October 12 at 11 a.m. ET
Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel
How to submit questions:
- Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
- Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
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Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.
We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.
Firing on All Cylinders
The preseason is the perfect time to try new things on the court, and we saw that against the Grizzlies with Ausar Thompson being used in the backup PG role. That role will most certainly be filled by committee with the likes of Jaden Ivey and Caris LeVert, but using Ausar as an on-ball creator will certainly help him reach his potential.
In this first clip, Duncan Robinson finds Ausar after the rebound, and Thompson throws a lead pass to Cade for a transition bucket. Usually it’s the other way around for these two, so it’s awesome to see Cade being the off-ball player here.
In this next clip, Ausar is initiating half-court offense. Robinson’s defender tries to go over the screen when Ausar starts the DHO, so Ausar’s defender has to switch onto Duncan, but he’s too late to get in front to defend the shot.
Lastly, I think this is what will excite Pistons fans this most this season. Ausar takes the rebound coast-to-coast for a right-handed jam. To add onto this clip, I particularly like that Duncan Robinson sprints to the left corner to space the floor in case his defender steps up as I fully believe Ausar is capable of making that read if he needs to find an open shooter. I would prefer Caris LeVert follows that same idea and would settle in the right corner on this transition possession.
Transmission Trouble
Sure, it’s just preseason, but Grizzlies started this game shooting 9-for-10 from deep – not great considering Detroit let teams shoot an above-average 36.7% from three last season.
It felt as if Detroit struggled against stretch bigs last year, and they did again in their first preseason game in Memphis. Even if Jock Landale isn’t known as a premier floor stretcher across the league, you have to have a stronger closeout on him that the one Stew offers here.
Later in the same quarter, it happens again. Stew drops after the screen to stop the ballhandler, but Chaz Lanier tries to recover back to his man and Jock Landale is left wide open. The Grizzlies’ spacing isn’t great in that short left corner, but Detroit has one too many defenders in that area.
Mechanic’s Note
Hopefully it’s just a case of the preseason precautions, but Jalen Duren was ruled out just before the game started with a hamstring injury. JB Bickerstaff called Duren “day-to-day” with hamstring tightness, though he was seen on the practice court the next day.
Duren played a career-high 78 games last year after missing a combined 36 games in his first two seasons. JD is currently listed as a “game-time decision” for tonight’s game against the Buckets, according to ESPN. Let’s hope this isn’t another season riddled with the injury bug for Detroit.
And just like that, we’re back! As the Detroit Pistons close the book on their ho-hum offseason that proved to be more boring than any in a decade and transition into preseason, they are met with real expectations for the first time in just as long. The Pistons will be expected to use this season to establish themselves as a playoff mainstay. Anything less than a playoff series win would likely be viewed as a disappointment in the eyes of most fans.
With the preseason set to tip off, here are four bold predictions for the 2025-26 season.
1. Both extensions get done for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey before opening night
While Detroit president Trajan Langdon has remained tight-lipped about any potential extensions for the team’s 2022 first-round picks, here’s betting both get done before the season tips off on October 22. The team seems to be invested in maximizing its young core’s potential, and taking care of Ivey and Duren early (and avoiding a Jonathon Kuminga situation) gives the team its best chance at maintaining its suddenly strong culture and tight-knit locker room. While Duren’s path to an extension is a little more straightforward, I wonder if Detroit will try to take a page out of Houston’s playbook and give Ivey a similar bet-on-yourself, short-term deal that the Rockets gave Jalen Green a year ago. Something along the lines of the three-year, $106 million deal makes sense for both sides.
For Ivey, it provides the Purdue product a generous per-year salary, while allowing him to hit the open market again at the beginning of his prime. For the Pistons, it gives them additional time to evaluate if Ivey fits into their long-term plans while keeping him happy in the short term. With the Pistons looking to make an additional leap, they can’t afford to have distractions related to key pieces of their core. Look for these to get done.
2. Isaiah Stewart shoots above league average from 3 at decent volume
Under the Troy Weaver regime, the organization was gung-ho on turning Stewart into a full-time stretch four. Even though the fit with Jalen Duren proved to be clunky, he did demonstrate an ability to hit the three above league average on decent volume (38% on 4 attempts per game) just two seasons ago. Last season, coach JB Bickerstaff opted for Beef Stew to get back to basics and excel primarily as a roller, play finisher, and rim protector. While this simplification can largely be viewed as a success, Stewart’s three-point shooting combined with his inside-out defense gives him the ability to supercharge many different lineups.
Stewart’s potential spacing would allow Detroit to roll out defense-heavy lineups in which he shares the floor with Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland, both non-shooters (more on that later). Attaching Stewart to those two allows the Pistons to have options with bench lineups and get after teams defensively. It also allows Thompson to play to his strengths offensively, as a short roller, cutter, and passer with Beef Stew occupying a defender on the perimeter. A lineup with those three, and some combination of Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson, Cade Cunningham, or Ivey would be tantalizing for opponents.
3. The Pistons will have a top-5 bench
Speaking of bench lineups, I expect the Pistons to have one of the top-performing benches in the league. This is the deepest roster the team has had in nearly two decades, and Bickerstaff and company have a plethora of options that they can go to for different lineups. The team has floor spacing in Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert. There are high-level defenders in the aforementioned Stewart and Ron Holland. They even have some options for secondary creation in Levert and Marcus Sasser, who may just have a role on this team.
Additionally, I expect the coaching staff to resume the practice of deploying one of Cade Cunningham or Jaden Ivey on the court at all times to be a main facilitator, ensuring the team always has a primary playmaker on the court, giving the unit a huge statistical boost. Given the team’s improved roster flexibility, I am also curious to see if Bickerstaff can be more creative in interchanging starters and bench players. We see many of the league’s top teams do this, and Detroit certainly has the personnel for it. Add all this together, and I see Detroit’s reserves becoming an asset for the team and statistically performing as one of the top bench units in the league.
4. Ron Holland plays as many minutes as Ausar Thompson
This is by far the boldest prediction, and one that is grounds for the most discourse given all of the buzz surrounding Thompson going into the season. The biggest reason is that I am buying his shooting improvement as he starts year two. If Holland can even shoot a league-average percentage from the corners and top 30% from all other areas behind the line, he suddenly is able to plug into almost any lineup as a neutral threat. This would force teams to at least close out on him at the three-point line. As we’ve seen in the team’s first two preseason games, the team seems motivated to get its two young wings on the court together, and if Holland can space the floor, this becomes a much easier reality, giving the coaching staff endless options to surround the two athletic defenders within different lineups.
Additionally, Holland demonstrated many skills last season that elevate lineups without him needing the ball in his hands, making him an easy fit next to Cunningham, Ivey, and even a more on-ball role for Thompson. In addition to his strong defense and emotional edge, Holland is a superb cutter and is excellent in transition. As the game continues to slow down for him, we may see an increase in secondary on-ball creation, and pick and roll playmaking that we saw flashes of both in his rookie season and during his time in the G league.
While I expect a monster year from Thompson as well, his shot is still a ways away from being any sort of threat from deep. This limits the number of lineups he can play in, as ideally, the team would want no more than two non-shooters in a given lineup at any time. If you, like me, buy Holland’s already solid shot mechanics and a year’s worth of work with renowned shooting coach Fred Vinson, then you’d also see a potential path to Holland playing north of 25 minutes per game this season.
Tell me what you think of these predictions. What other takes did I miss?
If you’re a Detroit Pistons fan, you’ve got to be pretty encouraged by what you’ve seen from nearly all of the team’s key players through two preseason games. Especially when that core group of eight is sharing the floor with each other. It’s when the rotation stretches deep and the lineup combos get wonky that things start to make a lot less sense.
It also hasn’t helped that Jalen Duren has missed both games and Jaden Ivey one as the latter looks to come back from a long-term injury and the team is surely being cautious.
As noted by the Free Press, the first two preseason games saw Detroit trot out 14 players, often for significant minutes. With only two preseason games remaining before the regular season kicks off, expect those rotations to be tightened and for the team to provide a little more clarity on what to expect going forward.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
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Analysis
Apart from a more standard rotation, I’m looking forward, greedily, to Cade Cunningham building on his strong showing through two preseason games. Cade looks like a first-team All-NBA player. He looks stronger, he is playing for long stretches of minutes, he’s making quality decisions, he’s imposing his will, he’s getting others involved.
Yeah, I still want more threes to go down, and of course I want more free throws. But I’ll always want that. Cade looks like a superstar, and I want more.
Other than that, I’d love to see a bit more clarity on how coach JB Bickerstaff plans to stagger out his young, defensive-minded, offensively unreliable young wings in Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland, for his reliable stable of vets in Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert. Duncan has looked pretty great (even when he’s not scoring the ball), and LeVert has looked awful in limited action. They will be two key players, and ingredients added to the floor to allow other players to thrive. We gotta see it in action.
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (1-1)
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
Cleveland Cavaliers (0-3)
Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, DeAndre Hunter, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.
We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.
Firing on All Cylinders
Usually players are given more of a green light in the preseason to try new things before the season starts, and last night had a few possessions of players growing their game.
First, I really enjoy seeing a play drawn up that involves Ron Holland. Jalen Duren sets an off-ball screen for Duncan Robinson, and he curls off the screen towards the rim. As Duren rolls with him, Robinson could have the ability to throw the lob to Duren if it’s open. Instead, Holland’s defender is helping on the Duren roll, and Robinson finds Holland in the corner for an open three.
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To move onto Ron’s Vinson Brother, Ausar Thompson, this clip shows how far Ausar has already come as an on-ball offensive player. No longer is he stuck in the corner thanks to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but he’s handling the ball in the pick-and-roll and creating offense. When he realizes he can’t get all the way to the rim, he stops for a short midrange shot off the glass.
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This last clip might be the one that got me the most excited last night as it felt like I was watching Bam Adebayo Jr grow in front of my eyes. Duren gets the ball in the high post, turns to front his defender, and puts the ball on the floor to get into the paint. Jarrett Allen is a good defender and doesn’t let Duren get all the way to the rim, but JD gets in his bag of tricks to turn and hit a short fadeaway jumper. Smooth.
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Transmission Trouble
Cleveland is really, really good on defense.
It’s led by DPOY-candidate Evan Mobley alongside Jarrett Allen, and Tobias Harris felt their wrath last night.
He makes a great cut in the first clip, but Allen contests the first shot, only for Mobley to contest the second and for neither shot to go in. Duncan Robinson was wide open in the corner, so perhaps a pump fake on the second attempt and a pass to Robinson would’ve been better, but I know that’s easier to see from my computer chair than standing in the paint in front of two seven footers.
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Again, another good idea from Tobias. He has the smaller Lonzo Ball on him in the post and he wants to attack the mismatch, but Mobley is just too long and too athletic as he’s able to help from the weakside in time.
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Last, here’s another great action involving Tobias. He tries to attack Donovan Mitchell, runs a dribble handoff with Duncan Robinson, and Duncan finds Tobias on the roll. Jarrett Allen rotates over to contest and blocks Tobias’ dunk attempt. I think these clips highlight how athleticism plays a strong role on the court, and as someone who was born just a few weeks before Tobias, I am also feeling a decline in my own athleticism.
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Mechanic’s Note
Detroit sat Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Caris LeVert, and Marcus Sasser last night, so they were left with one point guard on the roster in Daniss Jenkins. Even if they were playing a good defensive team, the offense struggled in the halfcourt. Without Cade’s pick-and-roll game, the team had trouble trying to create offense if it wasn’t on the fast break.
The team had 24 total turnovers, and according to StatMuse, Detroit never had that many turnovers in any game last season. At one point, there was a lineup on the court that had Ausar playing point guard next to Lanier, Holland, Green, and Stewart. But, since it’s preseason basketball, why not throw that lineup out there and see what happens?
The offense was supposed to struggle this game, and it did.
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons free agency. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.
Join us live on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET for the show where we’ll discuss the Pistons preseason with Detroit Bad Boys’ own Robbie Bettelon. What are your main takeaways from the preseason? Where do you think Ausar Thompson will be this year offensively? Has anyone played their way into the rotation?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:
When: Friday October 17 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel
How to submit questions:
- Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
- Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
- Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @blakesilverman or @therealwesd3
- YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here
As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.
The Cleveland Cavaliers entered their preseason finale winless, and they decided it was time to get into regular-season mode. The Detroit Pistons, meanwhile, are still sitting players out and pushing out somewhat bizarre rotations in an effort to get plenty of guys minutes and certain guys a little baptism by fire. So it shouldn’t be any surprise that the Pistons dropped the game 118-110 to the Cavs.
Cleveland’s three most important players — Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen played 33, 28 and 27 minutes, respectively. Conversely, the Pistons sat Cade Cunningham to give Dannis Jenkins plenty of point guard minutes, and he took on all 34 of those minutes with enthusiasm. The results were a bit mixed.
Here are five observations from Detroit’s game against Cleveland.
1. Dannis Jenkins can be a reliable backup point guard
Jenkins was 5-of-6 from the floor, showing off his ability to finish in traffic and shoot a nice 3-ball, where he was three-of-four. But he also committed five turnovers, and it was clear that against some stifling defenders, he was in a bit over his head. His 19 points joined Tobias Harris’ 19 in leading the Pistons.
Jenkins is not a perfect player, and you wouldn’t want him starting for Cade Cunningham for anything more than a spot start, if ever, but he proved he has the ability to be a backup point guard in this league, and he can acquit himself well on both ends of the floor. You can’t ask for much more of a two-way player. Whether he remains insurance or if he is actually making the case to earn a roster spot and supplant Marcus Sasser in the rotation remains to be seen.
2. Ausar Thompson has grown as a ball handler, but not as a shooter
This was the third consecutive game where the Pistons put the ball in Ausar Thompson’s hands quite a bit. He initiated the offense in the halfcourt plenty and he brought the ball up the floor the majority of the time. You can tell Thompson is much more adept at handling contact, and his handle is much stronger than it was in his first two seasons in the league. That is a recipe for getting to the line more consistently, and sure enough, against the Cavs, he got to the line five times. He also made just one of his five free throws. Thompson simply must get better at the foul life for Detroit’s plan to run offense through Thompson to be effective. If he doesn’t start knocking down his freebies, the opposing team will simply hammer the hell out of him or treat it like a four-on-five game until they can hack him near the rim.
3. Jalen Duren is a bit rusty
Jalen Duren was playing in his first preseason game for Detroit, and it seemed like JB Bickerstaff had a game plan to make up for lost time. The Pistons force-fed the ball to Duren a ton in the first half. The results, like with Jenkins, were mixed. Duren had eight points, five rebounds, and two assists. But he also seemed a step slow and his reads and decision-making were always a beat behind. It led to some disjointed and sloppy offensive possessions, and while he finished the day with only one turnover, it felt like he was on the razor’s edge of a turnover on every possession. That’s all fine. They are throwing Duren into the deep end to get him up to speed and ready for the regular season. He’ll get there, but he wasn’t there Tuesday night against the Cavs or their opposing big-man defenders.
4. Do less Ron Holland
The name of the game for Ron Holland is forcing the issue. That’s why he’s such a fan favorite. It often works in his favor. Even though he is only entering year two, however, you can make the case he’s already too good to be doing way too much on the court. Holland has shown he can be a great defender, he has a nose for the ball, he has an attacking mentality that creates quality transition looks, and he has improved as a perimeter shooter. All great. He showed all of that against the Cavs. And so much more. Dumb fouls, dribbling into nowhere, errant passes. he had 10 shots (making just three), and simply needs to relax and realize less is sometimes more. He’s not going to be a player who is limited to 10-minute spurts where he is a chaos agent and leaves it all on the floor. He should anticipate playing 20 minutes of meaningful basketball a night, and that means calibrating your aggressiveness, fouls, and shots accordingly.
5. We shouldn’t pretend the Pistons don’t have depth issues
The Pistons have added a lot of talent in the past two years. They continue to draft and develop intriguing players. They are light-years better than they were in the Troy Weaver era. You might fool yourself into thinking the Pistons are an incredibly deep team because it’s so easy to root for all the players. You’d be wrong. If you want to see deep, take a look at Detroit’s opponent Tuesday in the Cleveland Cavaliers. That is a deep, talented roster with NBA title aspirations.
The Pistons go a solid 8 or 9 deep before the questions really start coming. That is all well and good while everyone remains healthy. But it can become an issue fast if one of Detroit’s starters goes down for any appreciable time. Then you will be confronted with everything players like Javonte Green, Bobi Klintman, Chaz Lanier, and Marcus Sasser can’t do.
Let’s hope we never have to truly find out.
Under the Hood – it’s time to see what’s really going on inside this Pistons team.
We’ll be starting a new article series this year to dive a little deeper into Pistons games to highlight the successes and struggles of your favorite team. By having a season-long series, we hope to build on our impressions of the players and coaching staff to give you a better viewing experience of the action on the court.
Firing on All Cylinders
Jalen Duren looked really good and led all Pistons with 20 points. His alley oop chemistry with Cade Cunningham looks like it’s in mid-season form. However, it was his defense that might’ve been the most impressive thing about his play last night.
He was energized on the defensive end, and that started with having active hands on the perimeter whether he was defending on-ball or playing in the passing lane.
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I also feel like he’s improving at contesting attempts at the rim. He does a good job in these two clips of trying to keep his arms straight up and avoid jumping into the defender. It happens quick on the first clip, but he jumps vertically to absorb Kispert’s drive while keeping his hands high. He does the same in the second clip, and this is great rim protection defense by Duren.
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Transmission Trouble
Ausar’s preseason shooting struggles are continuing. He has been struggling from the free throw line, and his one three-point attempt was heaving this medicine ball towards the rim last night.
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Ausar’s inability to shoot becomes an issue when teams disrespect his jump shot, and that’s what the Wizards did yesterday. Khris Middleton was standing in the paint as he was guarding Ausar, but Thompson wasn’t tempted to shoot the open jumper as he returns the ball back to Cade. He tries to get a running start on his next touch, but ends up traveling. This is a spot where his inability to shoot is a hindrance on the court.
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Mechanic’s Note
With news that Jaden Ivey will be out for at least a month, I want to note that Duncan Robinson started in his place last night, and I think that starting lineup should be expected for Game 1 against the Bulls next week.
Now that preseason is officially over, let’s take a look at Cade’s stats through the three games he played:
- 61.5 min
- 62 points
- 10 rebounds
- 22 assists
- 6 steals
- 1 block
- 22-for-35 from the field (62.9%)
- 7-for-12 from three (58.3%)
- 11-for-12 from the line (91.7%)
If we look at these per-36-minutes, you get a real idea of how well he’s already playing:
- 36.3 points
- 5.9 rebounds
- 12.9 assists
- 7.0 three-pointers attempted
- 7.0 free throws attempted
Unrealistic? Maybe. Guaranteed to win MVP with that stat-line? Yes.
I do think it’s worth thinking the numbers of attempted threes and free throws per game is legitimate, though. Him averaging seven 3PA and seven FTA would both be career highs, and it’s not out of the question that an increase in threes and free throws could take him over 30 points per game.
